Resistance thermometer



A. OBERMAIER RESISTANCE THERIOHETER Filed Aug. 24, 1934 2 Sheets-Shoot 1 INVENTOR. Jfikn d. 06ermazez' ATTORNEY.

Sept. 27, 1938. J. A. OBERMAIER ,1

RES I STANCE THERMOMETER Filed Aug. 24, 1934 2 Shoots-Shoot 2 INVENTOR $1322 a. 'aezwuwz' a I I BY 4a A I M 8 ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 27, 1938 PATENT OFFICE 2,131,065 RESISTANCE THERMOMETER John A. Obermaier, Chicago, Ill.

Application August 24,

installation,

The thermal responsive element of the resistance thermometer of my present invention comprises a resistance wire of suitable material and size, coiled to form a fine spring, and extended through a series of longitudinal holes in a cylindrical Piece of insulation. the body of insulation, thus against damage. It is one The wire is within aflording protection of the objects of the solid material, since air is a very good The substance used should have a high thermal conductivity and be a suiliciently goodv electric insulator at the temperatures involved as not to affect the resistance of the.

Powdered aluon the outside of the insulator changes. By

locating the wire-receiving holes close to the periphery of the insulation this temperature lag is made verysma etemperature lag is further reduced by making the volume of the insulator as small as possible. This is accomplished by making the supporting insulator of the diameter that will pe mit the formation of the requisite number of longitudinallyextending holes of the proper size and spacing adjacent the periphery thereof. circuit lead-in conductors, which serve also as Supports for the cylinder of insulation, are anchored in the Cylinder at the thereof.

choring those conductors adjacent the periphery since it frees a corresponding number of holes for the reception of thermal resistance wire or it pe mits a reduction in the diameter of the insulator, and a corresponding reduction of the heat storage capacity thereof.

1934, Serial No. 741,286 (01. 7s ss2) The joints between the ends of the thermal resistance element and the lead wires that eX- tend the circuit to the terminals at the head of the instrument are as close together as is reasonably possible. By reason of the closeness, the 5 two ends of the thermal resistance elements are necessarily at the same temperature. This is of importance where the lead wires are of a material different from that of the resistance element, as is generally the case, because a difleI- 1o ence in temperature of the two joints at the ends of the thermal'resistance element would result in a thermo-electric current, as in a thermocouple. This would seriously afiect the accuracy of the resistance-measuring bridge circuit by which the temperature is determined. By placing the two terminals of the thermal resistance element very close together, this source is eliminated. The connector terminals at the head of the instrument are also placed close toether for the same reason.

The resistance element is enclosed in a protective casing comprising a metal tube of suitable length, the element being at one end of the head of the thermometer is rather massive and affords a large heat-radiating surface. The heat loss may, in the absence of preventive tions, be such that there is an appreciable tem- 0 gradient along the tube so that the inner end of the tube, that is, the end where the thermal resistance element is located, is not at the temperature of the surrounding medium.

absorb heat-from the Surrounding medium and head end of the tube and the head end of the thermometer,

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a head structure that is sealed to prevent the leakage of fluid through the head tance where 2v portion of the thermometer. This is of importhe thermometer is used to measure the temperature of fluid under pressure. I provide an adequate seal against leakage or that fluid through the head oi! the thermometer to the outside atmosphere.

It is a still further object of the present invention to make the resistance thermometer in the form of a sealed unit from which all the moisture and much of the air has been removed and wherein practically all of the free space is filled with material of a higher heat conductivity than air. By -making it in the form of a sealed unit free of all moisture, the resistance characteristics 01 the thermal resistance element is not subject to change by chemical action or by slight mechanical injury. By filling the .spaces between the protecting tube and the thermal resistance element with material of a higher heat conductivity than air, I reduce the time lag of the instrument. It is to be noted that I do not depend upon evacuation for the maintenance of the accurate condition of the thermometer.. Since the protective tube is practically filled with solid material, any small leak that may develop in the tube is not highly objectionable because the amount of foreign material that can enter is very small. In the case of an evacuated unit a small leak results in an immediate loss of the vacuum, and frequently starts a rapid deterioration of the unit.

It is a further object of .the present invention to provide a resistance thermometer, the production of which can be standardized for either a two-wire circuit or a three or four-wire circuit, the diiierences in construction of the three different types of unit being merely in the terminal portion of the head of the-unit. The thermal resistance element is priovided with tour lead wires that extend towards the head of the thermometer. In the case of a unit for use with a four-lead circuit, all four lead wires extend ,to terminals at the head the instrument. In the case of a unit for use with a three-lead circuit, only three terminals are provided, one lead wire from the unit being left open. The same three leads extend to the head of the instrument where the instrument is to be used in a two-wire circuit. In this arrangement one of the three leads extends to what may be called a dummy terminal, and provides means for determining the lead wire resistance fromthe terminal to the thermal resistance element.

The resistance thermometer for min a twowire circuit is standardized in various sizes and temperature ranges and is provided with a standard series compensating resistance of a predetermined value in excess of any lead and line tered. known installation, the compensating is reduced in amount so that the sum of the remaining compensating resistance plus the resistline wires from the the Wheatstone the resistance is of the precise value for which the standardized apparatus is calibrated. standardization various standardized units are different line wire resistances.

of the above and further obirom the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings torming a part thereof.

Figure 1 of the drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of my improved resistance thermometer with the cap and plug separated from the body thereof to facilitate illustration;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view .of the internal circuit connections;

3 is a longitudinal section through the thermal resistance element, said view bein taken along the line 3-4 of Figure 4;

Figure 4 is a top view of the thermal resistance element;

Figure 5 is an enlarged top view of the resistance thermometer with the cap and plug portions removed; p

Figure 6 is a view, corresponding to Figure 5, of a three-wire resistance thermometer;

Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional trating a modified form of cap structure;

Figure 8 is a circuit diagram;

Figure 9 illustrates, method of calibration bulb; and

Figure 10 shows a meat.

Reference may now be had more particularly to The resistance thermometer of my present invention, which I call a thermoresistance bul is a sealed unit comprising a thermal resistance element i having two, three, or four outgoing leads that terminate at a head portion or terminal support 2, and which is sealed in a protective tubular casing 3, preferably, although not necessarily, of metal. The unit is provided with a terminal or jack assembly l to establish contact with the leads extending to the thermal resistance element,'and

diagrammatically, one of the thermoresistance modified circuit arrangemore particularly in of wires II and II are soldered together at I! and crimped at IS. A second pair of similar wires l4 similarly soldered togeth r at ii and H. The wires l0, H, II and [5 are diameter to afiord the requisite strength, and preferably of materialhaving a very low temperature coeiiicient of resistance, although the latter is not indispensable. The lower straight ends of the four wires are inserted through four center holes it in a cylindrical piece of electrical insulation ll. The be of any suitable material the temperatures for which the material, and should have a as high as possible consistent with good electrical insulating properties. It should have as low a specific heat as possible, whereby there will be a minimum lag between the change ture within the insulation is and that outside of the body. After' the lower ends of the wires ll, II, M, and ii are extended through the bottom of the insulation is, they are gripped by a suitable tool, such as a pair of pliers, and the crimped portions l3 and I! are drawn into the holes it. The crimped portions serve to anchor the wires against withdrawal. straight portions 20 are clipped oil at the lower edge of the insulation is.

The cylindrical piece of insulation is is provided with a number of longitudinally-extending holes 2i spaced Irom one another adjacent the edge of the insulation. I have here shown eight such holes, although any other number may be provided, preferably an even number. Through view illusin tempera- Thereafter the below 400 these holes is drawn a coil which extends continuously through the eight practically uniform.

The holes 2| are then filled solid material to increase the heat conductivity in a highly volatile liquid,

The liquid then acts as a carrier for the solid substance. It is introduced into the holes and then evaporated away, leaving the solid material behind.

Thereafter a series of lead wire spacers of solid nsulation, indicated at 30, wires I0, l|,.l4, and I5. If theunlt is to be used as a four-lead compensation unit, which is quite infrequent, all four wires l0, H, H, and I5 are extended to the terminal support. If it is to be used either as a two-lead unit or as a three-lead unit, only three wires are extended as far as the terminal support 2, one of the wires, here indicated as the wire ll, being a dead wire terminatdesired, it may introduction into the casing. The tubular casing 3 is tom of the casing 3. The portion of the tubular casing above the disc 3| is then filled with insulating cement, indicated at 35, thus securing the thermal resistance unit in place and sealing the upper end of the tube 3.

The upper end of the tube 3 is externally threaded to receive the terminal support 2. terminal support 2 is made of suitable insulation, such as Bakelite or the like, and is provided with an internally-threaded counterbore 36 at its lower end. At the This may winding around the tube a cord or thread soaked minal support, a coating of sealing cement being provided at the threads. The nut 40 and the lower end of the terminal support are provided with mating circular grooves, corresponding to the grooves 31-38, which fill with cement, as indicated at 42. The sealing cement 39, together with the cement coating between the nut 40 and the terminal support 2, pr .ents any leakage of fluid through the inteiior of the nut 40. The notches or grooves 31-38, and 42 are provided with a few spaced indentations that serve to increase the hold of the cement against becoming loosened when a turning force is applied to the respective parts. The lower end of the 4- nut 46 is externally threaded at 4| for mounting the resistance thermometer.

The upper end of the terminal support 2 is provided, in the case of a unit to be used in a two-lead circuit, with two socket terminals 45-46, with a variable compensating resistance 41, and with a dummy terminal 46. The lead conductor I6 is connected to the socket terminal 45, the lead conductor I5 to the'dummy terminal 48, and the lead conductor I4 to one end of the compensating resistance The other end of the compensating resistance is connected to the socket terminal 46. The lead conductors I6, I4, and I5 are of identical lengths and, being of the same size and material, are of identical resistance. Therefore, a measure of the resistance between the terminals 46-46 will give a true value of the lead resistance from the terminals 45-46 to the thermal resistance element 23, the compensating resistance 41 being included in the lead wire resistance. An explanation of the reasons for the compensating resistance will be given as this description proceeds.

The tube 3 is filled with solid material to improve the thermal conductivity between the tube and the thermal resistance element I, thereby to reduce the time lag of heat transfer between the thermal resistance element I and the outside of the tube 3. The filling may be powdered aluminum oxide, introduced in the manner previously described in connection with the filling of the holes 2|. It is to be understood that other methods of filling and other filling materials, as previously set forth, may be used.

The lower end of the tube is closed, but not sealed, by a vented disc of insulation 55 and a vented metal closureplug The unit is then placed in an oven and baked to drive out the moisture. Thereafter the vent hole 51 is sealed by a plug of solder, or the like, while the unit is still hot, thereby precluding the drawing-in of air or moisture upon cooling of the unit.- When the unit cools, the air that may still remain in the tube is under a partial vacuum.

A thin sleeve 56, of copper or other metal having a high heat conductivity and provided with a number of thin circumierentially-extending radiating fins 5| may, if desired, be secured to the tube 3 in intimate heat-conducting relation thereto and below the end of the nut 46. The fins absorb heat from the medium in which the unit is immersed and thus prevent the establishment of a temperature gradient along the lower end of the tube 3 by reason of the loss of heat through the rather massive head portion of the unit. The insulating cementitious material 39 and the-insulator 2 inhibits the loss of heat through the upper end of the tube 3. Whatever heat is lost, is readilypicked up by the fins 5|, thus preventing the establishment of a temperature gradient along the tube 3, which might otherwise even alter the temperature at the lower end of the tube 3.

Circuit connections to a Wheatstone bridge, or other resistance measuring apparatus is provided in the form of terminals comprising a circular disc of insulation 66 from which depend two jack terminals 6I-62 adapted to enter the socket terminals 45 and 46, respectively. A pair of insulated line conductors 63-64 extend from the two jack terminals, through an opening in the cap of insulating material 5. The cap 6 is internally threaded at its lower end, as indicated at 64, for threading the cap over the upper portion of the external threads.

, not shown,

provided In Figure 6, I have shown an end view of a resistance thermometer ior use with a three-lead bridge. This construction differs from that 0! Figures 1 and 5, in that here the compensating resistance is omitted, the same being replaced by a third socket 41 similar to the terminal sockets 45 and 46. The wiring connections at the terminal post are as indicated in Figure 6, namely, the lead I6 extends to the socket 46, the lead I4 to the socket 46, and the lead I5 to the socket 41'. In this case, the plug assembly, is provided with three prongs, rather than two, as in Figure 1. The plug and socket assembly are polarized so that the two may be brought together in only one predetermined rel ative angular relationship. This is accomplished, in the present instance, by locating the socket 41' closer to the socket 45 than to the socket 46, although any other polarizing arrangement may be used.

In Figure 7, I have shown a modified form of cap structure to be used in lieu of the cap 6 of Figure 1. The cap is indicated at 5 and comprises a molded piece of Bake1ite" or other suitable insulation having a fore part adapted to thread over the terminal support 2. re cap is with an elongated externally-threaded cylindrical rear projection I66, into which is placed a number of gaskets I6I through which the conductors extend. The gaskets may be of any sealing material that expands radially upon axial compression, such as rubber. Another rubber gasket I65, and a pair of thin metal washers I66, are interposed between the outermost gasket IM and a nut I62. The gaskets are compressed axially by the nut I62 which is threaded on the projection I66, and is then locked in position by a lock nut I66. During turning of the nut I62 the washers I66 slide on one another to prevent turning of the gaskets I6I.

An explanation will now be given of the mode of operation of the two-wire resistance thermometer above described, for which reference may be had to Figure 8. The thermometer is here shown as threaded into a pipe II6 so that the thermal resistance element extends slightly beyond the center of the pipe The line conductors 63-44 extend to a Wheatstone bridge I I I, the conductor 64 terminating at the corner N2 of the bridge and the conductor 63 terminating at one pole of a double throw switch II3 which is connect either to a bridge resistance H4 or to the thermometer resistance. The bridge is ad-' justed by first closing the switch H3 at its contact H5 and then adjusting the resistor II6. to bring the pointer of an indicating instrument III to a predetermined position. This fixes the potential applied by the battery to the opposite corners of the bridge. Thereafter the switch H3 is closed to its alternate contact and the instrument I" read. Since the potential appl ed to the opposite corners of the bridge, by the battery, is fixed it follows that the difference of potential between the two corners of the bridge to which the instrument III is connected must be determined by the current flowing through the circuit including the resistance element of the resistance thermometer, which element is connected as one arm of the bridge, since the resistances in the three other arms of the bridge are fixed. The scale of the instrument may be calibrated in terms of temperature as determined by the. resistance of the resistance thermometer.

It is to be noted that the resistance measured by the Wheatstone bridge includes not only that adapted to a portion of the resistance portion chosen being such I6 are within the casing 3, and inaccessible. It is for this reason that the dummy terminal 40 is provided. In the manufacture of the resistfixed at any arbitrary value, say, 8 ohms. Since this includes the conductor I5, which is of a resistance exactly equal to that of the conductor I0, it is clear that the lead wire resistance between the terminals 4546 and the points I2-I6 is made exactly equal to s method of fixing the lead and line resistance is particularly applicable where the length of line 6364, and the size of wires used, is accurately known 'so that its resistance value can be subtracted from the resistance 41 at the factory before the unit is shipped for installation. However, where the length of the line conductors 6354 is not accurately known, it may be necessary to measure the resistance at the installation. Where this is necessary, it may be desirable to use an arrangement such as is illustrated in Figure 9.

In Figure 9 I have shown a circuit arrangement including a Wheatstonebridge III, instrument 1, and line conductors 636l, all arranged in the same manner as is shown in Figure 8. I provide a. calibrating resistor I20 which is of an accurately known value, say, a value exactly exactly equal to that of the resistance of the thermal element 23 at, say, exactly 30, although any other arbitrary point may be chosen. The resistor I20 is of a material having substantially zero temperature coeflicient of resistance, One end oi the resistor I20 is connected to the dummy terminal 40 which, for this purpose, may be made in the form of a The other end of this resistor is connected to the conductor 63. Thereafter the value of the resistance 41 is varied until the instrument II'I reads a temperature exactly that for which the resistor I20 is set, in this instance, say 30. This means that, if the resistor 23 were I20 and if the tem- Otherwise, the instrument would not read at that set value at that time. Thereafter the calibrating resistor I 20 is removed and the line conductor 63 connected to the terminal ii.

In Figure I have shown a circuit arrangement for a modified form of resistance unit. arrangement diil'ers from that of Figure 9 This unit is calibrated in the manner previously set forth in the description of Figure 9. The calibration is facilitated by reason of the fact that the adjustable resistance is adjacent the Wheatstone ment 1 may be read by the person making the adjustment of the resistance.

In Figure 10 the calibrating resistance I20, which 6I'62 of the line plug shown in Figure l. The unit I20 is used only during calibration of the line, in the manner set forth in the description of Figure 9.

If desired, the line compensating resistance 41 or "a may be incorporated in the plug terminal 5 of Figure 1 rather than in the socket terminal of Figure 1, or than at the Wheatstone bridge circuit of Figure 10.

the circuit shown in Figure 10 wherein the adjustable resistance is immediately adjacent the Wheatstone bridg The resistance thermometer shown in Figure 10 is provided with an additional resistor I 30. This resistor does not correspond, functionally, to the line compensating resistor 41 of Figure 1. This resistor is made of such a value that the resistance of the loop from the terminal 46, the resistor I30, conductors H and I5, to the terminal 41' is some exact pre-determined amount, say, for instance, 2 ohms. If the conductors I4 and I5 are rather long, as with a thermometer wherein the stem 3 is comparatively long, the resistor I 30 is of a smaller value than where the thermometer is shorter. By reason of this resistor it is possible to standardize the lead wire resistance from the socket terminals 45-46 to the thermal resistance unit 23 at a fixed value restitutes an additional any other standardized unit will also readings, regardless of the length gardless of the length ofthe unit. Since the resistance of the lead wires Ill-ll is not efiective for temperature measurement, a standardization of this resistance that is'applied to all sizes of thermoresistance bulbs permits the use of any standardized bulb on any pre-calibrated line. Thus consider the line 63- -6l of Figure 10. If the resistance "a is adjusted so that the total lead and line resistance from the Wheatstone bridge HI to the thermo resistance unit 23 is such that one unit will give correct readings, then give correct of the stem 3 of the particular thermoresistance bulb. In the circuit shown in Figure 9 the internal lead wire resistance of the thermoresistance bulb is adjusted, at the resistance 41, to fitit with the particular linen-4 on which the bulb'is to be used. If a different thermoresistance bulb is to be used on this line, it must also be calibrated for the particular line. In the circuit shown in Figure 10 the resistance 41a standardizes the line resistance so that any standard thermoresistance bulb of approximately the same length can be used with the same line. The resistor I conrefinement that permits the standardization of various thermoresistance bulbs of different lengths.

In each of the modifications above described, the internal lead wire 15 is provided solely for the purpose of obtaining a measurement of the resistance of the lead-in conductors between the terminals of the resistance thermometer and the thermal resistance t 23. Since any change in the lead and line wire resistance due to change in temperature is of a negligible magnitude in comparison with the change in resistance of the thermal resistor wire 23, the lead and line wire resistance may be considered constant at all operating temperatures and, therefore, suitable adjustment for that resistance can be made in the calibration of the resistance measuring appa- I amaware, it is fundamentally new to compensate for all of the lead and line wire resistance down to the very thermal respon- -sive resistor in a two-wire circuit. In a threewire.circuit it is, of course, not necessary to provide "a line compensating resistor, such as the resistor," or "a.

It is to be noted that in the apparatus of the present invention the conductor. [5 must have a resistance substantially that of the conductor 10, while the conductor II can beof any resistance value. In practice the conductors 1-44-45 are of practically the same resistance. However, any difference in the resistance of the conductor l4 is not objectionable because the resistance of this conductor is measured directly in the adjustment or the resistance 41. In a three-wire bridge the possibilities of error are double because both the conductors I4 and 15 must be of the same resistance as that of the conductor [0.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes, I have here shown and described a few preferred embodiments of my invention. It is, however, to be understood that the invention is not'limited to the precise embodiments here shown, the same being merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. What I consider new and desire to be securedby Letters Patent is:

1. In a temperature measuring device, a temperature responsive electric resistance unit so constructed and arranged that it changes in resistance as a fixed function of the changes in temperature of the ambient medium, said unit comprising a tubular piece of insulation, a support therefor comprising a plurality of wires held within longitudinally-extending holes in the piece of insulation, said holes being located adjacent the center of the insulation, said insulation having a plurality of longitudinally-extending holes therein adjacent the periphery thereof, a thermal responsive resistance wire extending through the last mentioned holes with the ends thereof terminating at adjacent ends of adjacent holes and connected to the supporting wires and the coils in the respective holes connected in series, whereby the supporting wires constitute the lead-in conductors to the thermal resistance and relieve it of mechanical strain.

2. In a temperature measuring device, a temperature responsive electric resistance unit so constructed and arranged that it changes inresistance as a fixed function of the changes in temperature of the ambient medium, said unit comprising a tubular piece of insulation, a support therefor comprising a plurality of wires held within longitudinally-extending holes in the piece of insulation, said holes being located adjacent the center of the insulation, said insulation having at least four longitudinally-extending holes therein adjacent the periphery thereof, a thermal responsive resistance wire extending in series through the last mentioned holes with the ends thereof terminating at adjacent holes and connected to the supporting wires, whereby the supporting wires constitute the lead-in conductors to the thermal resistance and relieve it of mechanical strain, both ends .of the thermal resistance wire being at the same end of the piece of insulation and in close proximity thereby precluding the establishment of a temperature difference between them and thus precluding the formation of a thermocouple at the juncture of the thermal responsive resistance wire and the lead-in conductors.

3. A temperature responsive electrical device for use in a resistance thermometer, said device including a thermal responsive element, a protecend of which the element is located, a head portion at the other end of the casing, said head portion comprising a terminal assembly of insulation and a mounting nut, said terminal assembly, mounting nut, and casing being secured together, and means for preventing leakage along the surfaces between the protecting casing, the mounting nut, and the terminal assembly, comprising a layer of heat insulating cementitious material along the contacting surfaces.

4. A temperature responsive electrical device for use in a resistance thermometer, said device including a thermal responsive element, a protective casing in one end of which the element is located, a head portion at the other end of the casing, said head portion comprising a terminal assembly of insulation and a mounting nut, said terminal (assembly, mounting nut, and casing being secured together, and means for preventing leakage along the surfaces between the protecting casing, the mounting nut, and the terminal assembly, comprising a layer of heat insulating cem'entitious material along the contacting surfaces, there being mating annular grooves along the contacting surfaces that are filled with beads of cementltious material to seal against leakage.

5. A temperature res sive device including a temperature responsive e ectrical resistance element, a heat conducting protective casing in one end of which the element is located, circuit conductors extending in said casing to the opposite dependently of the sealing of said opposite end of the casing,

to the atmosphere surrounding the head assembly, and means at the contacting surfaces of the head assembly for preventing-fluid leakage from along the outer surface of the casing, through the head assembly, to the atmosphere surrounding the head assembly.

7. A temperature responsive device including a the outer surface 01' the easing, through the head assembly, to the atmosphere surrounding the head assembly, said means comprising cementitious material covering the material in mating grooves at contacting surfaces of the terminal assembly and the mounting memher.

8. A temperature responsive device including a temperature responsive electrical resistance element, 9. heat conducting protective casing in one nut, said terminal assembly, mounting nut, and protective casing being secured together, the

from the casing, and means formed at the end of the nut remote from the terminal assembly for mounting the thermometer.

9. A temperature responsive electrical resistance for use in a resistance thermometer, includof outgoing conductors extending a lead-in conductor one end of the thermal resistance ends of the thermal resistance element to terminal assembly, connected to one of the terminals and the other dummy terminal on the terminal assembly, and a third conductor extending from said dummy terminal to one end of the thermal resistance e1ement.

12. A temperature responsive electrical resistance for use in a resistance thermometer, including a protective casing,

inhibiting the transfer of heat along ing where the thermal responsive element is located by reason of the passage of heatbetween the head portion and the adjacent end of the casing.

13. A thermal responsive member adapted to be inserted into a medium and respond to thermal changes of said medium, said member including a casing, a thermal responsive element within the casing adjacent the end thereof that is adapted to be inserted into the medium, a head portion at the other end, and means for the casing from end to end comprising heat radiating metallic projections on the casing adjacent the head portion and between that portion and the opposite end of the casing.

14. A temperature measuring system comprising a resistance thermometer including a protective casing, a thermal resistance element within the casing at one end thereof, a terminal assembly at the opposite end of the casing," internal wiring connections between the terminal assembly and the thermal resistance element, resistance measuring means at from the thermometer, a two-wire line circuit extending from the resistance measuring means to the terminal assembly, and means for adjusting the line circuit to compensate for the line circuit resistance and the resistance of the internal wiring connections comprising a compensating resistance in series with the line and means for establishing a loop resistance measuring circuit comprising the compensating resistance, the line circuit and conductors extending from the terminal assembly to the thermal resistance element but'excluding that element.

,15. In a temperature measuring device, a temperature responsive electrical resistance unit so constructed and arranged that it changes in resistance as a fixed function of the changes in temperature of the ambient medium, said uniincluding a protective casing and, within said casing, a thermal resistance element comprising a comparatively long and narrow mass of insulation having longitudinally extending holes ad- I a temperature a point remote jacent the periphery thereof, a thermal responsive resistance wire substantially entirely within said holes with both ends of the wire terminating at the same end of said mass, a terminal assembly at an end of said casing, and lead wires connecting the ends of the thermal responsive resistance wire to the terminal assembly, the lead wires being of a material different from that of the thermal responsive resistance wire, and the ends of the thermal responsive resistance wire being adjacent one another to preclude the establishment of a temperature difference between them and a corresponding thermo-electromotive force at the point of juncture of the dissimilar wires.

16. A temperature measuring system including responsive electric resistance element, 9. pair of terminals for establishing circuit connections with said element, a connector including a second pair of terminals movable into and out of engagement with the first mentioned terminals, and a compensating resistance in series with the circuit through at least one set of cooperating terminals of the two pairs of terminals, said compensating resistance being located adjacent the terminals and spaced from the temperature responsive electric resistance element by an amount suflicient to place it out of the region of the variable temperature measured by the element.

17. A temperature measuring system including a temperature ment, a pair of terminals for establishing circuit connections with said element, a connector including a second pair of terminals movable into and out of engagement with the first mentioned terminals, and a compensating resistance in series with the circuit through at least one set of cooperating terminals of the two pairs of terminals, said compensating resistance being mounted as one physical unit with one of said pairs of terminals and located outside of the region'of the variable temperature being measured.

JOHN A. OBERMAIER.

responsive electric resistance ele- 

